TMNT 2 Casts Fred Armisen as Krang

WonderCon has given us a trove of information about TMNT: Out of the Shadows. Not only did we get an awesome new trailer that featured a fight scene with the Dimension X villain, Krang, but it also gave us some specific details about the movie and cast. One of the best new details was the announcement that Fred Armisen will be playing the voice of Krang in the upcoming film.

Fred Armisen is an awkward comedian that knows how to sell an offbeat joke. His work on Portlandia showcases his talent for characterization and comedic timing. While the panel at WonderCon answered questions and made announcements, this was a tidbit of information that was pleasantly surprising.

Fred has a very unique speaking cadence that often puts tension into the punchline of a joke. He often builds suspense for very simplistic, but unique deliveries that can leave you shaking your head while laughing. This style of comedy would be great for the character of Krang.

When I look back at the original cartoon of the turtles, Krang wasn’t a very funny character. He was often very serious, which required Shredder and Bebop & Rocksteady to handle the jokes. But there were little gems of hilarity that would center around Krang and usually his defeats. Krang was silliest when he was losing. He’d whine and complain and scream like a child which made us, actual children, crack-up with laughter.

If Fred Armisen is playing that kind of Krang, I doubt they’ll make him as whiny. But there’s plenty of potential for Krang to be a pouty defeated foe which would give great material for Armisen to play with. I can’t wait to see how creative he gets with the character.